Saint Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral in Dumaguete City

Saint Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral is Roman Catholic cathedral and the oldest stone church in Negros located in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines. It is the seat of ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of Dumaguete. It is also referred to as the Dumaguete Cathedral.

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History

The mother parish of Saint Catherine of Alexandria Church was St. James the Greater Church in Tanjay. It became a parish in March 1620 with Fr. Juan de Roa y Herrera as the first parish priest.

Under secular control for centuries the Augustinian Recollects took over in 1855, appointing Fr. Antonio Ubeda as religious head of the parish. The rule of the Recollects would be interrupted during the Philippine revolution against Spanish occupation. They would be once again at the helm of the parish from 1909 to 1954, the year the secular clergy returned as its administrator.

Church-building

Diocesan friar Fr. Jose Fernandez de Septien oversaw the construction of the stone church that began in 1754 and completed in 1776. He also built fortification in the form of watch towers in the settlement as defense system against sea raids that were ravaging coastal villages in the olden days. In 1846, its interior was caught on fire but its walls were spared. The Recollects constructed school building and cemetery, as well as undertook improvements, renovations, reconstructions, and decorations that continued through the years. The church was reconstructed in 1885 and again in 1936 to erect the facade that is seen today. The iconic belfry, known as Campanario de Dumaguete or Dumaguete Belfry, stood on the footprint of one of the defunct watch towers built by Fr. Septien. According to its marker, Fr. Juan Felix de la Encarnacion laid its two layers in 1867.

Cathedral

Parish of Saint Catherine of Alexandria was elevated to a cathedral when Dumaguete became a Diocese by Pope Pius XII on April 5, 1955. Epifanio B. Surban was appointed the first bishop. Its jurisdiction extends to not only the province of Negros Oriental but also Siquijor and four towns belonging to Negros Occidental.

Architecture

In the facade of the Dumaguete Cathedral built in Baroque tradition, paired engaged columns are flanking on each side of its entrance, which is an arched doorway. Above the entrance is a semi-circular overhang and the recessed niche of the patroness. On either sides of the central section of the facade are pilasters of exposed brick exterior, they flank a rose window and rectilinear windows of gable awnings and glass panes. The pilasters terminate in entablature that divide the facade from the ground level and a grand pediment. On the frieze in relief are the words “Dumaguete Diocese”. Architraves and cornices are elaborated.

The upper register stands on a horizontal panel that is adorned by festoons and contains the bases of engaged columns with bas relief of cartouches, and the columns flank a central rose window of stained glass. It is flanked on both sides by volutes with relief decor. On either ends jutting from the pilasters are the statues of Sts. Peter and Paul. Meanwhile, the pediment contains a high relief of the monogram of the Name of Jesus circumscribed by a circle.

Celebration

The feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria is held every November 25th.

Services

Baptism is held every weekend at 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 3:00 PM, and 4:30 PM.

Confession is heard at 4:00 in the afternoon every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Confirmation is scheduled at 8:00 AM every first Saturday of the month.

Interviews for people expressing intention to marry is scheduled at 9:00 in the morning every Saturday.

The parish office is open every day from 9:00 in the morning until noon and from 2:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon.

Mass schedule

Below is the weekly mass schedule of Saint Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral in Dumaguete City from June 9, 2025 to June 15, 2025. Please reach out to the church for an updated schedule. Additionally, you may also want to view mass schedules of churches in Dumaguete City.

Monday

5:00-6:00 AM (FB Live)
6:00-7:00 AM
5:15-6:15 PM
6:00-7:00 PM

Tuesday

5:00-6:00 AM (FB Live)
6:00-7:00 AM
5:15-6:15 PM
6:00-7:00 PM

Wednesday

5:00-6:00 AM (FB Live)
6:00-7:00 AM
5:15-6:15 PM
6:00-7:00 PM

Thursday

5:00-6:00 AM (FB Live)
6:00-7:00 AM
5:15-6:15 PM
6:00-7:00 PM

Friday

5:00-6:00 AM (FB Live)
6:00-7:00 AM
5:15-6:15 PM
6:00-7:00 PM

Saturday

5:00-6:00 AM (FB Live)
6:00-7:00 AM
5:15-6:15 PM
6:00-7:00 PM (FB Live - Anticipated Mass)

Sunday

4:30-5:30 AM
5:45-6:45 AM
7:00-8:00 AM
8:15-9:15 AM (FB Live)
9:30-10:30 AM
11:00-12:00 AM
1:15-2:15 PM
2:45-3:45 PM
4:00-5:00 PM
5:30-6:30 PM
7:00-8:00 PM

Church information

Details
Name	Saint Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral in Dumaguete City
Other Names	Dumaguete Cathedral
Address	Governor Mariano Perdices St, Dumaguete, 6200 Negros Oriental
Country	Philippines
Contact	522-0638; 422-7765
Email	thedumaguetecathedral25@gmail.com
Facebook	web.facebook.com
Instagram	www.instagram.com
Twitter	twitter.com
Religion
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Established	March 1620
Age	405 years
Status	Cathedral
Declared as cathedral	April 5, 1955
Archdiocese	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu
Diocese	Diocese of Dumaguete
Vicariate	Vicariate of St. Peter
Patron	Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Feast day	November 25
Architecture
Completed	1776
Age since completed	249 years
Style	Baroque

Nearby Churches

References

Diocese of Dumaguete. Union of Catholic Asian News. Retrieved July 15, 2022
Romanillos, Emmanuel Luis A. (December 31, 2020). Augustinian Recollect Legacy to the Church in Negros Island. Philippine Social Science Journal. Retrieved July 15, 2022
History. City Government of Dumaguete, GOV.PH. July 15, 2022
Salvador, Jinggoy (March 16, 2018). Dumaguete Visita Iglesia: St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral. Sunstar. Retrieved via PressReader on July 15, 2022